'CORONATION Street' star Michael Le Vell told a jury he is "devastated and lost" after being accused of child sex abuse.

The actor (48) spoke in a trembling voice as he was asked by his lawyer Alisdair Williamson how he felt at being accused of the rape and sex abuse of a young girl.

In a packed and hushed courtroom Mr Le Vell replied: "How do I feel? I'm devastated, I'm lost. I don't understand where it's come from. It's left such a big hole in life.

"I'm like a lost soul and I still want to get to the bottom of why this has happened to me and why I'm being accused of this, because I know none of this happened.

"I have been walking around for the last two years just not knowing."

The star, who plays car mechanic Kevin Webster in the ITV soap, is accused of 12 charges in all: five counts of rape, three of indecent assault, two counts of sexual activity with a child and two of causing a child to engage in sexual activity.

The alleged offences relate to one complainant and are said to have taken place between September 2002 and September 2010. He is alleged to have raped the girl while she clutched a teddy bear during one attack.

The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, wept as she told Manchester Crown Court Mr Le Vell told her it was their "little secret".

Addressing the defendant by his real name, Michael Turner, his lawyer continued: "Mr Turner, I want to ask you this: have you ever put your hands on this girl, had sex with her?"

He replied: "No, never."

Mr Williamson said: "Took off her clothes . . . oral sex?"

Mr Le Vell replied: "Never in a million years would I do anything like that."